Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1941)

A Night At Earl Carroll's (Paramount) s About: The kidnapping of a night ub's floor show. ? YOU'D like to spend an evening at Earl Carroll's Hollywood restauranteater, here's your chance, for almost e entire background of this musical cture is the night club. You'll see all e beautiful girls, some comedians and e musical numbers that Mr. Carroll iecializes in. The plot's pretty thin, of course, since revolves around the idea that, to spoil big reception for the new mayor, big imbler J. Carrol Naish kidnaps the floor LOW. Ken Murray is the press agent for e night club and Rose Hobart is Carill's assistant. Brenda and Cobina conibute several laughs in their famous an-hunt routine. It's a pleasant little picture. Your Reviewer Says: All right. (Continued from page 101) ^ Bitter Sweet (M-G-M) . It's About: The romance of a Viennese music teacher and a wealthy English girl. NOEL COWARD'S romantic story of old Vienna with its enchanting music and background comes to the screen in the most exquisite Technicolor yet seen. In fact, the color, especially in the beautiful copper and white ballet number, steals the honors, which is no small achievement considering the beauty of Jeanette MacDonald and the singing of Nelson Eddy. Nelson is the music master who falls in love with his English pupil Jeanette, marries her in an elopement and takes her to Vienna where, together, they struggle for success. George Sanders plays the villain as only George Sanders can. It's a pleasure just to watch Mr. Sanders in action. Diana Lewis is cute as the lisping golddigger. The songs "I'll See You Again" and "Zigeuner" are beautifully sung by this popular screen team. Before I Hang (Columbia) it's About: A scientist who discovers a serum that does away with old age. BORIS KARLOFF does his very best to overcome the handicaps of this poorly written horror story, but even his best is not good enough to make entertainment out of the picture. While the scientist Karloff is in prison awaiting his death sentence, he finally perfects a serum that will strip years away from old people. He inoculates himself with it and becomes young again. However, the serum contained the blood of a confirmed murderer and thus Karloff finds within himself the urge to kill. So when he's released from prison, a series of murders results. It's an interesting enough premise, but it's poorly developed. The rest of the cast also struggles valiantly through this brooding movie, but we don't recommend it unless you're an out-and-out Karloff fan. Says: A thing of beauty. Your Reviewer Says: Bad melodrama. Remedy For Riches (RKO-Radio) $ About: Dr. Christian saves the town om a "con" man. ENTIMENTALITY is less rampant in this latest adventure of Dr. Christian, at it's replaced by plenty of broad imedy that's usually missing in the ries. Everyone in the small town is more ;althy than usual, so Dr. Christian has ;ry little to do. However, Warren Hull, 1 promoter, comes to the village and scovers oil in the river, so naturally rerybody sees quick riches in return for small investment; everybody, that is, at Jean Hersholt as Dr. Christian, who its about proving that the oil has been )lanted" and it's all a crooked propotion. Dorothy Lovett is Hersholt's loyal arse and Edgar Kennedy, Walter Cattt and Jed Prouty are very funny in leir usual comedy roles. Your Reviewer Soys: Dr. Christian gets laugh. * Gallant Sons (M-G-M) 's About: School pals who heal a breach i their friendship. "HERE'S a lot of genuine sincerity in this heart-appealing story of two firm :hool friends, Jackie Cooper and Gene eynolds, who meet heartache head on hen Gene's dad, Ian Hunter, is sent to rison for murder at the instigation of ickie's father, a newspaper editor. How these kids, with the aid of Bonita ranville, June Preisser, William Tracy id Leo Gorcey, get together to solve ie mystery and keep Jackie and Gene iends is a story that will melt the heart a cynic. These kids are good! Incidentally, Ian unter and Gail Patrick turn in splendid !rformances, too. Your Reviewer Says: A gallant little ory. Advance Tips on Tomorrow's Talkies PICTURES IN THE CUTTING ROOM COLUMBIA ■ LEGACY: Dealing with the period before the first World War, this has Warner Baxter as the father of four sons and Ingrid Bergman as their governess. Johnny Downs, Robert Shaw and Richard Denning are three of the boys and Susan Hayward is the complication in their lives. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER ■ MAISIE WAS A LADY: Showgirl Ann Sothern continues her adventures by becoming a maid in the home of society playboy Lew Ayres. His sister Maureen O'Sullivan is engaged to fortune-hunter Edward Ashley and C. Aubrey Smith is the butler. With Rita Johnson and Henry O'Neill. PARAMOUNT ■ VIRGINIA: Madeleine Carroll returns to Virginia to raise cash by selling her family's plantation, but she meets Fred MacMurray who does his best to change her mind in this Technicolor picture of the South. With Marie Wilson, Sterling Hayden and Paul Hurst. ■ THE ROUNDUP: On the day of her marriage to Richard Dix, Pat Morison meets Preston Foster, her sweetheart who she had thought was dead, and finds herself unable to decide which, one she loves. The story is played against an exciting background of Indian troubles and gun running. ■ THE MONSTER AND THE GIRL: Rod Cameron, scientist, implants the brain of a man into the body of a gorilla in this strange mystery drama. Ellen Drew, as the sister of the dead man whose brain the gorilla has, gives a compelling dramatic performance. The cast includes Paul Lukas and Robert Paige. RKO ■ MR. AND MRS. SMITH: High-speed, sophisticated comedy with Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery as the happily married couple who discover that their marriage is illegal. Gene Raymond is Montgomery's partner who falls in love with Carole. ■ A GIRL, A GUY, AND A GOB: Producer Harold Lloyd packed this comedy with hilarious situations that revolve around Sailor George Murphy and Socialite Executive Edmund O'Brien who both fall in love with Secretary Lucille Ball. With Henry Trovers and Marguerite Chapman. ■ PLAY GIRL: Kay Francis, who's lived by her wits all her life, finds herself broke in a fashionable hotel, so she tries to make money by grooming Mildred Coles for a wealthy marriage, but Jimmy Ellison complicates her mercenary plans. With Nigel Bruce. 20TH CENTURY-FOX ■ GOLDEN HOOFS: In this racing picture, Jane Withers trains trotting horses for Buddy Rogers, new owner of the stock farm, for whom Jane develops a case of puppy love although he is engaged to Katharine Aldridge. With Buddy Pepper, as her boy friend, and George Irving. ■ MICHAEL SHANE, PRIVATE DETECTIVE: Lloyd Nolan, detective, is hired to keep debutante Marjorie Weaver out of trouble, but they become involved in the murder of a gambler who has been loaning Marjorie money for her gambling losses. With Joan Valerie and Walter Abel. UNIVERSAL ■ SAN FRANCISCO DOCKS: Burgess Meredith, longshoreman, is jailed for murder, but Irene Hervey, Raymond Walburn and Robert Armstrong are convinced of his innocence so they seek the real murderer. With Lewis Howard and Esther Ralston. WARNER BROTHERS ■ THE WAGONS ROLL AT NIGHT: Humphrey Bogart is owner of a third-rate carnival company in this exciting picture with Sylvia Sidney as the outfit's fortune teller, Eddie Albert as the new lion tamer and Joan Leslie as Bogart's young sister whom he keeps away from the carnival. bruary. 1941 103